'Twas the Fright Before Christmas (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Will Hillenbrand (Illustrator) "'Twas a midwinter eve at the old haunted house..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Judy Sierra and illustrator Will Hillenbrand (The House That Drac Built, Counting Crocodiles) trick us with a treat: the deliciously Halloweeny Christmas book 'Twas the Fright Before Christmas. In this rhyming yuletide treasure, Santa is a mouse, and his sleigh is pulled through the night sky by the cutest bats on the planet. The stage is set: "'Twas a midwinter eve / at the old haunted house. / Not a creature was stirring... / Well, maybe a mouse." The story continues, "The dragon had fallen asleep on the stair. / The manticore snoozed in his favorite chair. / In a pot by the fireplace the fiend's stew was steaming. / Beside it the bat dangled upside down, dreaming." Somehow this talented team manages to conjure a holiday season that is creepy but utterly cozy—-a mummy clutches his Christmas list as an old zombie dozes on the divan. Meanwhile, the illustrations reveal what the text does not. Here comes Santa Mouse, dragging many times his weight in presents! Conflict erupts when the manticore is scratched by the cat and then mangles the tail of the werewolf, who awakes with a howl, etc. etc. Of course the cat is squashed by the zombie, who's responding to the bat, who's struck by the fiend: "'It wasn't my fault!' protested the bat. / 'The fiend flung his spoon and it hit me----ker-splat! / You'd flip and flap, too, if it happened to you.'" Amidst all the chaos, sharp eyes will spot the quiet antics of Santa Mouse, desperately trying to fulfill holiday obligations. Santa Mouse finally comes to the fore when he reads them a sweet bedtime story ("Make it gruesome and gory," says the bat), serves them cocoa with marshmallow sauce ("'Top it off,' yipped the werewolf, 'with mildew and moss.'"), calms the monsters down, and flies away to deliver more Christmas cheer. (Ages 3 to 7) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

'Twas the night before Christmas and not only is a mouse stirring, he is delivering gifts to a haunted house and driving a sleigh powered by eight tiny bats in Sierra and Hillenbrand's (collaborators for The House that Drac Built) gigglishly ghoulish, Halloween-inspired rendition of Moore's Christmas classic. After initially blaming one another for interrupting their long winter's naps, the werewolf, zombie, mummy and pals soon make nice, encouraged by the tiny rodent with a red cap. Readers will enjoy tracking the mostly unnarrated progress of the mouse amid the funny and dynamic mixed-media paintings. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Gulliver Books; 1 edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152018050
• ISBN-13: 978-0152018054
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #937,368 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally awesome, January 21, 2009

By	Travis L. Sidelinger "Linux Gamer" (Columbus Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: 'Twas the Fright Before Christmas (Paperback)

My 2 year old daughter and I have this book memorized and we frequently make quotes from the book. This book goes in my all time top 10 list.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, November 30, 2007

By	A. D. Cox (northern PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 'Twas the Fright Before Christmas (Paperback)

If your child loves Halloween and Christmas, they will love this book. Mummys and Christmas just kind of go together.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home"